Intertwined Destinies
by JustYourAverageWitch
Summary: Siblings Merlin and Roslyn never expected to lead a normal life, what with Merlin's magic and all. What they didn't expect was for a talking dragon to tell them it was Merlin's destiny to protect Prince Arthur and Roslyn's to marry him. AU Arthur/OC, Merlin/Morgana, Gwen/Lancelot
1. The Dragon's Call

**Disclaimer: I do not own _Merlin_ or any recognizable entities (characters, dialogue, etc.).**

 **A/N: Big thanks to the _Merlin_ wikia page for providing necessary information!**

* * *

"Are we nearly there?"

"For the hundredth time, yes."

"So, we're close?"

"Isn't that what 'nearly' means?"

"Well, 'near' is relative, isn't it?"

"Shut up, Mer."

Merlin's next words became trapped in his throat as the siblings spotted Camelot for the very first time. The citadel seemed to glow as the telltale sounds of civilization reached the siblings' ears.

"It's…" Roslyn couldn't find the words to describe the infamous kingdom.

"I know."

Compared to Ealdor, the siblings' previous village, the lower town seemed luxurious, never mind the grandiose citadel. The siblings walked on, marveling at every new discovery. Soon, they came upon a large crowd. Merlin being Merlin pushed to the front of crowd, curious as to what was happening. Roslyn sighed before following with a murmured "Excuse me" to all she pushed aside.

Uther, the King of Camelot, stood on a balcony and addressed his subjects, "Let this be a lesson to all. This man, Thomas James Collins, is adjudged guilty of conspiring to use enchantments and magic. And, pursuant to the laws of Camelot, I, Uther Pendragon, have decreed that such practices are banned on penalty of death."

Roslyn stopped listening as she stared at Merlin, her magic-using brother. _No. Mer's not safe here. We can't stay. We have to leave._

Just as she reached Merlin, Uther gave the order for the man to be executed. The crowd gasped and Uther, who would have her brother executed for something out of his control, announced a celebration of all things. A heart wrenching wail tore through the square as an elderly woman stumbled forwards.

The woman pointed at Uther and cried, "There is only one evil in this land, and it is not magic! It is you! With your hatred and your ignorance! You took my son! And I promise you, before these celebrations are over, you will share my tears. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a son for a son."

While Roslyn did agree that Uther was an ignorant tyrant, revenge was simply not the answer. She did not know Uther's son, but surely he couldn't be that bad?

During Roslyn's musings, the witch had disappeared and the crowd had begun to disperse with whispers and muttering. Merlin turned to find his sister directly behind him and gave her a hesitant smile. Roslyn knew, though, that behind that smile, her brother was scared. And so was she.

* * *

The siblings made their way to the palace in silence, a mutual understanding that Camelot was not the wondrous place they first thought it to be between them. Merlin approached a palace guard and inquired on the location of Gaius's, their uncle's, chambers. The guard pointed behind him and the siblings began their trek up spiraling stone stairs.

Merlin knocked on the open door as the siblings walked in, but the chambers seemed to be empty.

"Hello?"

"Gaius?"

The siblings turned to stare up at the multitude of bookshelves and spotted their uncle on the platform.

Merlin cleared his throat, gaining Gaius's attention. Unfortunately, the railing chose that moment to break and their uncle began his descent towards the ground. Out of the corner of her eye, Roslyn saw Merlin's eyes glow gold, and a bed suddenly appeared underneath Gaius before he hit the floor.

Merlin's magic was no secret to Roslyn, as she had witnessed Merlin's acts of magic since they had begun. Gaius, obviously not injured, rushed towards the siblings.

"What did you just do?" he demanded.

Merlin was at a loss for words and barely managed to stammer out an "Erm."

"Tell me!"

"I-I-I have no idea what happened," Merlin lied. Roslyn internally sighed. For someone with such as huge secret, her brother really was a terrible liar.

"If anyone had seen that…"

"Er, no! That-that was, that was nothing to do with me. That-that was…" Again, Merlin was at a loss for words and it seemed Roslyn would have to step in and save her little brother.

"I know what it was!" Gaius exclaimed, "I just want to know where you learned how to do it!"

Learned? Her brother never had to learn magic. It was as natural as breathing for him.

"Nowhere," Merlin quickly explained.

Gaius, however, was convinced her brother had attended some magical school of sorts. In a disbelieving tone he asked, "So how is it you know magic?"

Roslyn, knowing this conversation could last a while, interjected. "He was born like this. He never studied magic. He just…knew."

"That's impossible!" Gaius proclaimed. After a beat, he seemed to realize the siblings were strangers to him. "Who are you?"

"We have this letter," Roslyn explained as Merlin fished the letter from his bag and handed it to Gaius.

"I don't have my glasses," Gaius said, staring at the letter.

Merlin quickly retracted his hand and explained, "I'm Merlin. This is my sister, Roslyn."

"Hunith's children?" Gaius asked, realization dawning.

"Yes!" Merlin exclaimed as the siblings enthusiastically nodded.

"But you're not meant to be here till Wednesday!"

The smiles on the siblings' faces dropped as Roslyn explained that it _was_ Wednesday.

"Ah, right then. You better put your bags in there." Gaius pointed to a door with a few steps leading up to it. The siblings walked forwards before Merlin stopped and turned around, causing his sister to stop and turn as well.

"You-you won't say anything about, erm..."

"No. Although, Merlin, I should say thank you."

Merlin smiled sheepishly before turning and walking up the steps to their new room. Roslyn went to follow before being stopped by Gaius.

"Roslyn, are you..?"

Roslyn answered before Gaius could complete the question. "No, I'm not."

* * *

The siblings' room was small, but, considering the siblings had slept on the floor back in Ealdor, the quaint room was more than enough. Merlin laid claim to the bed closest to the door, leaving Roslyn with the bed up against the opposite wall. The siblings unpacked in silence, placing the few clothes they owned in the cupboards.

It was only as the siblings sat on their respective beds that the silence was broken.

"Should we stay here, Mer? It's too dangerous," Roslyn whispered, the image of that day's execution in the forefront of her mind.

"We'll be alright, Ro. _I'll_ be alright. Promise," Merlin whispered back, also thinking about the execution the siblings had witnessed.

Nothing more was said on the subject for the rest of the night.

* * *

Roslyn was awake as soon as the sun shone through their small window. She smiled as she spotted her brother, peacefully at sleep. She decided to let him sleep a while longer as she dressed in her usual garb, a light blue dress with flat, brown shoes. She propped up her small mirror on their desk and styled her black hair into a braided bun. She smiled, satisfied, and walked out of their room, careful to not disturb her brother from his slumber.

"Good morning, Uncle," she greeted, spotting Gaius serving breakfast while a bucket of water stood on the dining table.

"Good morning, Roslyn. You and your brother didn't wash last night. I got you both water."

"Oh, sorry. Thank you, Uncle."

"Here's breakfast," he said as he handed her a bowl of porridge.

As Roslyn sat down and began to eat her breakfast, she heard a door opening and closing. Looking up, she found her brother, messy hair and all, speaking with Gaius. Her brother sat down in front of her, gave her a tired smile, and lifted his spoon.

Suddenly, the bucket of water on the edge of the table fell. Merlin stood up and, with a golden glow of his eyes, stopped the bucket mid-fall. Gaius and Merlin stared at each other and Merlin let the bucket fall with a thump.

"How did you do that? Did you incant a spell in your mind?" Gaius demanded, back on the topic of Merlin's magic.

"I don't know any spells," Merlin said.

 _In fact, I don't think Mer has ever met another sorcerer_ , Roslyn thought.

"So what did you do? There must be something." Gaius would not give up. Was it so hard to believe that Merlin knew magic naturally?

"It just happens," Merlin eloquently explained as he grabbed a mop and began to clean up the spilled water.

"Well, we better keep you out of trouble, both of you. You can help me until I find some paid work for you. Here." Gaius handed a small sack to Roslyn and a bottle to Merlin. He explained, "Hollyhock and Feverfew for Lady Percival, and this is for Sir Olwin. He's as blind as a weevil, so warn him not to take it all at once."

Merlin nodded with an "Okay" and went to leave before Gaius handed him a sandwich with a smile. Merlin smiled at their uncle and walked towards the door.

"Off you go. And Merlin!, I need hardly tell you that the practice of any form of enchantments will get you killed," Gaius warned.

"Goodbye, Uncle!" Roslyn called as she went on her way.

She smiled as she saw the hustle and bustle of Camelot. It was similar to Ealdor, but bigger.

She stopped a nearby palace guard and asked, "Where could I find Lady Percival's chambers?"

The guard gave her directions with an emotionless face before resuming his post. Roslyn thanked him before entering the palace. If the outside was impressive, the inside was grandiose. The stone walls were immaculate with not one spot of dirt in sight.

So distracted was she by her first glance of the inside of the palace that she failed to notice the group of knights approaching her. She did, however, notice how hard the palace floors were.

"Ow!" she exclaimed, looking up to see what had knocked her down.

"You should be more careful," the blond one warned, holding a hand out to help her up.

"I was…distracted. Thank you," Roslyn begrudgingly said, accepting the hand.

"Are you new to Camelot? Surely I would remember someone as beautiful as you."

 _Wonderful, a flirt._

Roslyn forced a smile on her face. "Yes. I arrived yesterday."

"Well, I hope to see you again soon." With that, the knights and what could only be their womanizing leader left.

 _I hope not._

* * *

After delivering the medicine to a sickly Lady Percival, Roslyn made her way to the courtyard with the hopes of finding Merlin. Fortunately, she found him rather quickly (who could miss him with his unique choice of clothing?).

Unfortunately, he was speaking with the blond knight she had no desire to see again. Sighing, she approached just in time to see Merlin take a swing at the knight and the knight twist Merlin's arm behind his back.

Gasping, she ran towards the duo. "Merlin!"

"I'll have you thrown in jail for that," the knight promised.

"What, who do you think you are? The King?" Merlin gasped out.

"No. I'm his son, Arthur," the knight – well, the prince – revealed as guards approached to haul her trouble-seeking brother off to jail.

 _Never mind. I hope the witch gets her revenge._

* * *

"Gaius!" Roslyn cried as she rushed into her uncle's chambers.

"What is it?" Gaius asked, mind already preparing for almost any situation.

"Merlin's been arrested." Well, every situation except that.

"What?! What did that boy do? They didn't catch him – " Gaius was worried beyond belief. His nephew had been here one day and he was already discovered?

"No! No. He – he tried to attack the prince." As Gaius opened his mouth to wonder aloud at Merlin's stupidity, Roslyn added, "But, in his defense, he didn't know he was the prince. He just thought he was a knight." She cringed at that.

"That boy…" Gaius sighed. He headed towards the door, calling over his shoulder, "I'll see what I can do to get your brother released."

"Thank you, Uncle!" Roslyn sighed with relief. Looking around, she noticed how messy her uncle's chambers were. As a thank you, she decided to clean up the chambers while she waited for Gaius to return, hopefully with Merlin in tow.

* * *

The next morning, Roslyn stood to the side as the people of Camelot relentlessly pelted her brother with rotten fruits and vegetables, mostly tomatoes. Sometimes, Roslyn believed Merlin had some kind of mental affliction because he was smiling and laughing as tomato after tomato hit him. However, he was more likely putting on a show for the children. Merlin always had a soft spot for children.

As the children rushed off, surely to acquire more projectiles, Roslyn and another woman approached the stocks.

"I fear we'll have a food shortage soon, brother," Roslyn teased.

"In my defense, he was being really rude."

Before Roslyn could respond, the other woman introduced herself. "I'm Guinevere, but most people call me Gwen. I'm the Lady Morgana's maid."

Merlin stretched out his hand as far as he could and, with his trademark grin, said, "Right. I'm Merlin. Although, most people just call me Idiot."

"If the shoe fits," Roslyn grinned.

"And this is my wonderful sister, Roslyn," Merlin sarcastically added.

"No, no, no. I saw what you did. It was so brave," Gwen gushed.

Roslyn raised an eyebrow, channeling her uncle. _I suspect a romance brewing._

"It was stupid," Merlin admitted.

"Well, I'm glad you walked away. You weren't going to beat him," Gwen told him, causing Roslyn and Merlin to release identical snorts.

"Oh, I – I can beat him," Merlin claimed.

"Mer, I love you, but you would not be able to beat the prince in a battle of strength," Roslyn chuckled.

"Roslyn's right. You don't look like one of these big, muscle-y kind of fellows," Gwen explained.

"Thanks," Merlin sarcastically replied.

Gwen backtracked quickly. "No! No, I'm sure you're stronger than you look. It's just, erm… Arthur's one of these real rough, tough, save the world kind of men, and…well…"

"What?"

"You don't look like that," Gwen said, shaking her head slightly.

Merlin motioned her closer and whispered, "I'm in disguise," causing Gwen to laugh.

"Well, it's great you stood up to him," Gwen smiled, eyes only for Merlin.

Roslyn noticed excited children running towards them with more rotten food and decided to make herself scarce. "I'll see you tonight, Mer. Uncle wanted to speak with me," she called over her shoulder, although it was ignored by the two fast friends.

* * *

"Uncle?" Roslyn called as she entered the chambers.

"Ah, Roslyn! This is the Lady Morgana, the King's ward," Gaius explained, motioning towards the beautiful woman dressed in a fine gown.

Roslyn respectfully bowed her head with a "My Lady."

"Oh, there's no need for that here, Roslyn," Morgana said, stepping forward slightly with a smile.

"I was informing Morgana that you have yet to find paid work, and she mentioned how she could use an extra hand." Gaius raised one eyebrow expectantly.

"Thank you, My Lady. This is very kind of you," Roslyn remarked.

"My current maid, Gwen, works herself too hard. It would be nice for her to have someone to share the load with," Morgana commented.

"Gwen? Short for Guinevere?" Roslyn questioned, wondering whether Morgana spoke of the same woman she had just met.

"Why? Do you know her?"

"I just met her. She's quite lovely," Roslyn added, sensing a closeness between maid and mistress.

"That she is. Well, you can start tomorrow morning. Come by my chambers after breakfast." With a genuine smile, Morgana left, a small potion bottle clutched in her hand.

"Now we just have to find something for Merlin to do," Gaius announced.

"He seems to be getting into trouble well enough," Roslyn giggled, clearing the table for dinner.

"Oh, that boy will be the death of me."

* * *

Merlin walked in covered in a multitude of produce just as Roslyn set down the final bowl.

"How was your performance, Mer?" Roslyn grinned.

Her brother simply shook his head at her and sat down to eat.

"Do you want some vegetables with that?" Gaius asked, his grin identical to Roslyn's.

Merlin snorted, "I know you're still angry with me, both of you."

Roslyn shook her head and sighed. "I'm not angry with you, Mer, I'm disappointed in you. Mother asked me to look after you."

"And your mother asked me to look after both of you," Gaius added, smiling at Roslyn's protective nature. He turned his attention towards Merlin, who was staring into his bowl. "What did your mother say to you about your gifts?"

"That I was special," Merlin mumbled, scooping up some food only to let it fall back into the bowl.

"You are special, the likes of which I have never seen before," Gaius explained to her sullen brother.

With a smile, Roslyn stood up and left to give the two some privacy. She quietly entered their room and changed into her nightgown.

Merlin walked into their room just as his sister was unbraiding her hair.

"Are you really disappointed in me, Ro?" It came out softly, so softly Roslyn almost failed to hear it.

Roslyn stood up quickly and rushed to her brother. "No, Mer. I was disappointed in your actions today, but I will _never_ be disappointed in _you_. I am so proud of you."

Merlin hugged her tightly, hunching over to bury his face in her neck. Roslyn responded in kind, wrapping her arms around his back.

"I love you, Ro."

"I love you, too, Mer."

* * *

The next morning, Roslyn was making her way towards the Lady Morgana's chambers when she ran into the Prince again. Thankfully, not literally.

"Hello again. I don't believe I caught your name yesterday," Arthur smiled, crossing his arms across his chest and unknowingly blocking her path.

"Roslyn, sire," she replied, bowing her head.

"Ah, a beautiful name for a beautiful girl."

 _He is such a flirt. I'm going to be late!_

"Excuse me, sire. I must be going or I shall be late to work." Roslyn hoped he would move. She had never met a royal before coming to Camelot, but she had heard others speak of their arrogance.

"Of course. I hope to see you again, Roslyn." With that, Arthur kept walking, allowing her to let out a breath of relief.

 _I hope not._

* * *

"Good morning, my Lady," Roslyn greeted as she walked into Morgana's grand chambers.

"Good morning, Roslyn," Morgana responded, smiling from her seat at her table.

"Oh, hello, Roslyn. It's lovely to see you again," Gwen smiled as she picked up Morgana's empty plate.

Morgana stood up, smiling at Gwen in thanks, and walked towards Roslyn. "There's really not much that I need done for now. Standard duties include laundry, bringing me my meals, mending my clothes, and keeping my chambers clean. Thankfully, I'm nothing like Arthur, so my chambers are usually well-kept and my clothes smell much better than his," Morgana added with a giggle.

Roslyn and Gwen joined her.

 _Working for Morgana doesn't seem so bad._

* * *

After Morgana dismissed her for the day, Roslyn walked back to her home. _Was Camelot home now?_ Well, it was more a home than Ealdor. If not for her mother and Merlin, she would have lost her sanity in the village. The people were always so judgmental. Being nearly of age, they expected her to marry sooner rather than later. None of the boys – for that was all they were – in Ealdor interested her and she doubted she would ever marry. Her sole purpose in life was to protect Merlin; not to tend to an immature husband and bear children.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she entered her uncle's chambers and spotted a clearly injured Merlin and an irate Gaius. She managed to catch the end of Merlin's rant.

"…If I can't use magic, I might as well die."

"Mer! What happened? Are you alright?" Roslyn rushed towards her brother and placed her hands on his shoulders. Her brown eyes scanned his body, cataloguing his visible injuries.

"He fought with Arthur using magic," her uncle explained, lowering his voice over the last word.

Roslyn sighed internally, but did not allow her disappointment to show. "Come on, Mer. You should get some rest." She led her brother to their room and helped him lie down on his stomach. She walked around his bed and sat on his pillow. She then placed his head on her lap and ran her fingers through his hair.

Gaius entered with some medicine and sighed, "Merlin? Sit up. Take your shirt off."

Roslyn helped him take off his shirt and gasped at the sight of the bruises decorating his back. _Oh, Arthur is going to pay._

As Gaius tended to his injuries, Merlin wondered aloud, "You don't know why I was born like this, do you?"

"No."

In a small, vulnerable voice, Merlin asked, "I'm not a monster, am I?"

At the same time, Gaius and Roslyn reprimanded him, "Don't ever think that."

"Then why am I like this? It can't be a family thing because Ro doesn't have magic. Please, I need to know why," he pleaded. Roslyn looked at him with sad eyes. Ever since he had discovered the reputation of magic users, he had questioned himself.

"Maybe there's someone with more knowledge than me," Gaius mused, closing the salve he had used on Merlin's back.

Merlin, with his utmost faith in their uncle, replied, "If you can't tell me, no one can."

Gaius, a small, proud smile on his face, handed a cup to Merlin with the instruction to drink it to help with the pain. After he had done so – and his face had twisted at the taste – Gaius left the siblings on their own to prepare dinner.

Roslyn stood up and helped her brother move into a more comfortable position that would not irritate his wounds.

"Where were you today? I woke up and you were gone. Gaius said that you were working," Merlin tiredly murmured.

Roslyn smiled endearingly as she placed a blanket around her brother. "I found work as Lady Morgana's maid. Well, her second maid. Her first maid is Gwen. What a coincidence, hmm?" She waited for a response, but, upon looking at her brother's face, found him asleep. "Sleep well, Mer," she whispered, placing a kiss on his forehead before exiting their room to help their uncle.

* * *

The next day, Roslyn was washing Morgana's clothes as Gwen washed her bedsheets. For someone of nobility, Morgana was extraordinarily kind. She always asked for something, never demanded.

After the clothes and linen had dried, the two began their trek towards Morgana's chambers.

"So, how are you finding Camelot, Roslyn?" Gwen asked, pausing to adjust the basket in her arms.

"It's very different from Ealdor, for obvious reasons," Roslyn laughed. "But, my time in Camelot has been quite nice."

As they reached the chambers, they could hear Morgana speaking with someone. Curious, the two walked through the open door and spotted none other than Merlin standing in front of the changing screen.

"Gwen? Roslyn?" Morgana asked. It seemed Morgana believed that it had been her maids she was speaking with.

"We're here," Gwen replied, confusion in her face as she stared at Merlin.

Trying not to laugh, Roslyn mouthed, "What are you doing?"

Merlin made a few motions which neither Gwen nor Roslyn understood before they put two and two together and realized Morgana needed help dressing. The two smiled, shaking their heads, and went to help their mistress.

As he left, Merlin mouthed, "Thank you."

 _Oh, that brother of mine._

Morgana looked absolutely stunning in her maroon gown. As she entered the banquet hall, all eyes were on her, rightly so. Gwen and Roslyn discreetly entered after her and stood next to Merlin and Gaius. Roslyn smirked as she caught Merlin staring at Morgana. After realizing Gwen was friendly to anything that moved, she had thrown out the idea of Gwen and her brother courting. Merlin and Morgana, however…

Gwen seemed to be thinking the same as she asked Merlin, "She looks great, doesn't she?"

"Yeah," Merlin absentmindedly agreed.

Gwen and Roslyn shared a glance and a grin. With that, both girls knew what they had to do. They had to set up Merlin and Morgana.

Horns sounded the arrival of the King and the guests found their places. Morgana only needed one person to tend to her tonight, so Roslyn was able to stand next to her brother off to the side.

Uther looked upon his people as he began his speech. "We have enjoyed twenty years of peace and prosperity. It has brought the kingdom and myself many pleasures, but few can compare with the honor of introducing Lady Helen of Mora."

Heavy applause followed, though more likely it was for Lady Helen than Uther. As everyone took their seats, Lady Helen, wearing a bright yellow gown, stepped onto a makeshift stage. Music from an unknown source began to play and Lady Helen started to sing in a foreign language.

Her singing was quite mesmerizing, Roslyn noticed, quickly becoming tired. In fact, everyone had become tired. Merlin took notice and motioned to his sister to cover her ears before he did so as well. Cobwebs rapidly formed over the sleeping people as Lady Helen strutted closer to the royals.

As she closed in on her target, the siblings noted who exactly her target was: Arthur. She pulled a small dagger from her dress sleeve, possibly concealed by magic. Merlin looked around desperately, attempting to find some method to stop her. Roslyn tapped him on the shoulder and pointed to the chandelier the singer was approaching.

Just as Lady Helen raised the dagger, poised to throw, Merlin dropped the chandelier on top of her with a golden flash of his eyes. She collapsed under the sheer force of the metal chandelier, turning into the old woman from a few days ago.

Confused whispers alerted the siblings that the guests had woken from their enchanted sleep. Uther and Arthur stood as they noticed that Lady Helen was no longer Lady Helen, but the woman who had threatened Arthur's life.

With the last of her strength – and possibly her magic – the woman threw the dagger at Arthur. It flew through the air so quickly that there was little hope the shock Arthur would move in time to avoid it.

But he did. Well, he did with the help of Merlin, who must have used the same magic he used to save their uncle on their first day in Camelot.

Both hurried to stand and all Arthur and Uther could manage to do was stare incredulously at Merlin, the boy who had saved the prince and sole heir.

Uther managed to find the words he wished to speak as he remarked, "You saved my boy's life. A debt must be repaid."

Modest Merlin rubbed the back of his neck with an "Oh, well…"

"Don't be so modest. You shall be rewarded," Uther declared.

"No, honestly, you don't have to, Your Highness," Merlin insisted, backing away slightly.

"No, absolutely. This merits something quite special."

"Well…" And there went the modesty.

As Uther spoke, it seemed as though he was about to reward Merlin with the grandest prize of all time. "You shall be rewarded a position in the royal household. You shall be Prince Arthur's manservant," Uther revealed.

The court applauded, many whispering about what an honor Merlin had been bestowed. As she clapped for her hero of a brother, she held back a giggle at how Merlin and Arthur unhappily refused to look at each other.

 _This will be interesting._

* * *

That night, as the siblings laid in their beds, Merlin's voice broke through the silence.

"Ro?"

"Yeah, Mer?"

Both of them sat up and looked at each other across the room, the moonlight highlighting some of their similar features.

"I - I found a dragon a few nights ago," Merlin revealed.

"A dragon? Where?" Roslyn questioned, her curiosity piqued.

"Underneath the castle. He's the last of his kind. He – he's been calling to me in my head ever since our first night in Camelot. When I went to see him, he told me why I had magic," he whispered, his voice happy.

"That's wonderful, Mer!" she smiled, glad her brother had one of his questions answered at last. "Why do you have magic, then?"

"It's my destiny to protect Arthur."

 _I was right. This will be_ very _interesting._

* * *

 **Thanks so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. If you did or did not, feel free to leave a review or a message. I welcome constructive criticism!**

 **Update schedule: Mondays and Saturdays, if all goes according to plan! If I finish up a chapter early, I'll post it early. I won't hold the story hostage in exchange for reviews.**


	2. Valiant

**Disclaimer: Refer to the first chapter.**

 **A/N: Sorry this is late! I never really liked the Valiant episode, which made writing it much more difficult.**

* * *

The sun was barely up by the time Roslyn arrived at Morgana's chambers. The tray of breakfast in her hands made it difficult to knock, so she tapped the door with her elbow before entering.

As soon as she entered, she noticed her mistress fitfully tossing and turning, muttering under her breath. Placing the tray on a nearby table, Roslyn rushed towards the bed.

"Morgana. Morgana!" she called, gently shaking her shoulders. "Wake up."

Morgana gasped awake, her frantic eyes sweeping the room before they landed on Roslyn's.

"Are you alright?" Although Roslyn had not known Morgana for very long, in the few days they had known each other, Morgana had proven to be a kind, caring woman. In the future, they might even become friends.

"I-it was just a nightmare. I'm fine," Morgana reassured, though she was still shaking slightly.

Gaius had warned her that Morgana suffered from terrible nightmares. She decided to bring Morgana another sleeping draught tonight before she went to bed.

 _I didn't realize Morgana was so frightened of snakes._

* * *

The day passed normally enough. Well, as normal as Camelot could be. The upcoming tournament meant more people, mostly servants, rushing about, but at least no magical threats had been made.

At one point, she had managed to glimpse out Morgana's window and watch Arthur use her brother as a live training dummy, but, other than that, she had not seen Merlin all day.

Gwen joined Roslyn and Morgana soon after the breakfast tray had been taken back to the kitchens. The day was spent gossiping and idly tidying the chambers.

"I feel so sorry for Merlin. Could you imagine being ordered about by Arthur?" Morgana giggled, sifting through her dresses.

"Oh, I'm never going to hear the end of it," Roslyn jokingly groaned. She approached the vanity and began organizing Morgana's countless jewelry.

"It was very brave what he did. Wouldn't you agree, Morgana?" Gwen asked, a secretive smile directed at Roslyn. The plan had begun.

"Yes, yes it was. Although I can't say I agree with his reward," the Lady added, admiring a blue gown in her mirror.

"Being Arthur's manservant seems more of a punishment than a prize," remarked Roslyn, pausing to admire a gorgeous emerald necklace.

"Arthur hasn't been able to keep a manservant for more than a month. Merlin will quit soon," Gwen assured, placing her broom against the wall. She brushed down her dress and joined Roslyn at the vanity.

"You obviously do not know my brother. He's stubborn as a mule. Arthur will have to kill him to get rid of him."

* * *

"How was your day, Mer?" Roslyn teased that night as the siblings laid in their beds. She had noticed Merlin's mobility was limited, causing him to rely on magic to reach objects. Gaius had nearly had his head earlier when Roslyn walked in on Merlin summoning a book. After realizing that she was not a magic-hating resident of Camelot, Gaius had stern words with Merlin about using his magic for nonessential tasks.

"It's been hours and I still can't feel my fingers," he complained. "How is this considered a reward?"

"You should talk with that dragon of yours. Maybe he meant a different Arthur." As she suggested it, Roslyn knew that the chances of Merlin's destiny being another prince of Camelot named Arthur were nonexistent.

"That was my response, but no luck. I'm stuck protecting a prat," Merlin sighed. Roslyn could hear him shifting, attempting to find a comfortable position that would not harm his twice beaten back.

Deciding to change the conversation, she asked, "Are you looking forward to the tournament?"

"If it means I don't have to be Arthur's training dummy anymore, then yes," he laughed. "What about you, Ro?"

"Men jabbing a pointy metal stick at each other to prove their worth? Sounds like fun." She adjusted her pillow as she turned on her side, able to see her brother's amused face in the moonlight. Suddenly, his face contorted into an all too familiar expression. He had forgotten something very important.

"Do you happen to know anything about armor?"

* * *

"Does Merlin know everything there is to know about armor now?" Roslyn leaned forward to speak as she sat to the left of Morgana while Gwen sat to the right. They were sitting in the front row of the stands, directly to the right of the royal box.

"Enough to please Arthur, I hope." Gwen's next words were interrupted by cheers as the competing knights marched onto the grounds.

No two knights were dressed the same. Some wore purple, some yellow, but only one wore the red of Camelot. Arthur stood before his people, his face a combination of annoyance, determination, and…nervousness?

Uther interrupted Roslyn's thoughts as he began the tournament. "Knights of the realm, it's a great honor to welcome you to a tournament at Camelot. Over the next three days, you will come to put your bravery to the test, your skills as warriors, and of course, to challenge the reigning champion, my son, Prince Arthur."

 _No pressure there._

"Only one can have the honor of being crowned champion, and he will receive a prize of one thousand gold pieces." At that revelation, the crowd ooh-ed and ahh-ed. Why an already well-off knight would need with that much money, Roslyn did not know. Uther continued, "It is in combat that we learn a knight's true nature, whether he is indeed a warrior or a coward. The tournament begins!"

The crowd cheered, thrilled to watch two men injure each other for the sake of honor. All of the knights but two exited the arena, leaving behind Arthur and his opponent. The fight soon began.

Though Roslyn was no fighting enthusiast, the excitement of the crowd and of her two friends was infectious and she soon found herself cheering Arthur on. In no time at all, Arthur had easily defeated his opponent, causing the crowd to cheer louder for their prince. Roslyn managed to spot her brother off to sides, looking for all the world as if he had just won the fight. It looked as if Merlin was softening up to Arthur after all.

"Arthur's pretty good, isn't he?" she commented, watching as two other knights fought. It seemed to be an equal battle until one gained the upper hand.

"Don't tell him that, or his head will grow even larger," Morgana warned before the three erupted into giggles. They stopped immediately once Uther glanced in their direction and returned their attention to the fight.

The knight in yellow was a very aggressive fighter and soon knocked his opponent down. The crowd erupted into cheers, though not as loud as the cheers for Arthur. Roslyn's attention was drawn to the knight's shield. It was the same yellow as his tunic with three forest green snakes. There was something niggling at the back of her mind, but for the life of her, she couldn't remember what.

* * *

Morgana had no need for two maids that night, so she sent Gwen home early as she spent so little time with her father as it was. The sweet maid would join them at the reception later, as Morgana dreaded the thought of spending the night surrounded by drunken knights who only saw her beauty. Until then, Roslyn was helping Morgana dress.

As her mistress stepped out from behind the changing screen, Roslyn smiled. "You look beautiful, Morgana, as always."

"You're too kind, Roslyn," Morgana blushed. For all her confidence, she had her moments of bashfulness.

Knowing that they – well, Morgana - was expected at the reception soon, the two left the chambers. Morgana, having rarely been alone with Roslyn before, took the opportunity to ask a question she had wondered about ever since meeting the siblings.

"Are you and Merlin twins?" she inquired, adding, "Because you look the same age."

With a laugh, Roslyn explained, "No, we're not twins. I'm one year older." At Morgana's glance, she added, "We've been asked countless times before whether we were twins."

"It must be because you're so close in age and appearance." They walked in silence for a moment before Morgana nonchalantly mentioned, "Your parents must miss you both. Why did you come to Camelot?"

"Merlin and I only have our mother. Our father left when I was a few months old." Roslyn grew quiet as she mentioned her father. She always wondered why he had left them. They were his family. She and Merlin knew better than to mention him around their mother, but they often spoke in whispers and fantasied about what he was like.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have mentioned it," Morgana rushed to apologize, knowing too well the heartbreak that came with the loss of a father.

"You were not to know, my Lady."

They had arrived at the throne room, ending their sensitive conversation. The two guards opened the doors with a respective bow of the head for Morgana. All conversation halted as everyone's eyes drifted to the King's stunning Ward. With a small smile, Morgana gracefully walked the length of the room until she reached Uther, Roslyn trailing behind her, invisible to the members of the court.

"Morgana," the King greeted. "You look absolutely lovely."

Morgana thanked him and moved to stand to his right. Roslyn stood to her right, slightly behind her. Just as the knights began lining up to greet the King and his Ward, Gwen appeared. The two maids smiled at each other as the first knight approached the royals.

It seemed each knight was following a strict pattern. "Knight So-and-so of This-or-That." "You fight very well. I wish you luck in the tournament." "Thank you, My Lord. It is an honor to be here." Then they would move on to Morgana. "My Lady. You are more beautiful than they say." "Thank you. You are a very skilled fighter, Knight So-and-so. Good luck tomorrow." "My Lady." And repeat.

It was not until the aggressive fighter with the shield of snakes approached that the pattern was broken. Roslyn did not pay much attention to what he said to Uther, distracted by Gwen pointing out the rather garish dress one of the ladies of the court was wearing. He approached Morgana, a flirtatious expression on his face.

"My Lady." He bowed to kiss Morgana's outstretched hand, only, this time, she didn't seem to mind it.

 _Back to the pattern._

"I saw you competing today."

 _Or not._

"I saw you watching," the man leered. "I understand the tournament champion has the honor of escorting My Lady to the feast."

With a genuine smile, Morgana replied, "That's correct."

"Then I will give everything to win the tournament," he promised, nodding to her before moving towards the other knights. His sly smirk sounded warning bells in Roslyn's mind, but she could not pinpoint why.

 _What a creep._

* * *

The next day, the three friends sat in the same seats, eager to watch the tournament. They cheered as the winners proudly raised their swords and gasped as some were injured. The crowd hushed as Arthur entered the arena. When he addressed the crowd, a confident smile on his face, Roslyn feared she would lose her hearing – or her voice. When Arthur quickly defeated his opponent, the crowd cheered louder, if that were possible.

After Arthur's fight, the creepy snake knight arrived.

"Oh, Valiant's next," Morgana excitedly announced.

So _that_ was his name. Ironic. He didn't seem the courageous type.

The two knights seemed evenly matched until Valiant managed to knock his rival down. The fight didn't end there, though. Even though his rival's head was now defenseless, Valiant felt the need to pin him down with his shield. After a few moments, Valiant gave his opponent one last hit before facing the crowd, relishing the attention. His opponent, however, lay still on the ground.

"What's wrong with Ewan?" Morgana asked, worry entering her voice.

Roslyn felt herself fill with worry once her uncle arrived with his medical bag and had Ewan carried back to his chambers on a stretcher. She suspiciously eyed the all too happy Valiant who showed no sign of concern for the injured knight.

Something was not right.

* * *

Morgana dismissed Roslyn for the rest of the day, stating that Gaius would need her help tending to Ewan. As she made her way to his chambers, she noticed Merlin speed right past her, heading towards the palace. He seemed to not have noticed her, meaning that his attention was elsewhere.

"Hello, Uncle," she greeted as she entered the chambers. She immediately spotted Ewan, sweating away on a cot. She took a seat next to him and wiped his hot forehead with a wet rag.

"Hmm? Oh, hello, Roslyn." Her uncle rummaged through his books, intent on finding something. A cure, perhaps?

"Have you figured out what happened to Ewan?" she asked, placing the rag back in the bucket of water once she realized a wet rag was not going to cure the knight.

"That is what's strange. It appears as though Ewan was bitten by some sort of snake, though how he suffered such an injury in a swordfight, I don't know." Her uncle's words caused her to freeze.

 _Snake bite. Sword fight. Valiant. Merlin._

"Where was Merlin going?" Roslyn tried to keep the panic out of her voice. She and her brother had similar thought processes, which could only mean that Merlin had reached the same conclusion she just had. Which meant that Merlin was with Valiant. The same Valiant who possessed a magic shield which he had used to injure his opponent.

"He didn't say." Gaius looked up and saw the alarm on her face. Before he could ask what was troubling her, Merlin stumbled into the chambers.

"I've just seen one of the snakes in Valiant's shield come alive! He's using magic!" His last few words became muffled as Roslyn threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. Confused, Merlin hugged his sister back. He looked to Gaius for an explanation, but his uncle only shrugged.

Roslyn's mood quickly shifted as she pulled out of the hug and repeatedly slapped Merlin's arm. "What were you thinking?! You could have been killed!"

"But I wasn't," he pointed out, trying to move out of his angry sister's reach.

"Wait. Merlin, did you say that Valiant was using _magic_?" Gaius asked in disbelief. Merlin sighed as his sister was effectively distracted.

"Yes. The snakes on his shield came alive and one of them ate a mouse – one swallow, straight down. Ewan was fighting Valiant when he collapsed. It must've been one of the snakes from the shield," he explained what Roslyn had already suspected. "I have to tell Arthur." Merlin turned to leave, but Gaius next words stopped him.

"Is there any chance you might be mistaken?"

She could see Merlin become agitated, so she clarified, "What Uncle meant to ask was whether you had any proof. We believe you Merlin, but your word alone is not enough."

"You can't go accusing a knight of using magic without proof. The King would never accept the word of a servant over the word of a knight," Gaius explained further. It was the sad truth, but true it was.

If they wanted Valiant to get what he deserved, they needed solid proof.

* * *

The tournament was nearing its end. Tomorrow was the final. That meant that Merlin, Roslyn, and Gaius had very little time to cure Ewan and stop Valiant. For now, though, Roslyn decided to concentrate on enjoying herself. There was very little she could do from her place in the stands, so she focused on the tournament.

Arthur and a knight almost twice his size with muscles bigger than his head entered the arena. How Arthur would manage to defeat his opponent this time, she didn't know.

She sensed movement at her side and turned her head to find Morgana stroking Gwen's red cloak like a child would their blanket. "My Lady, are you worried for the prince?" She couldn't blame her. She was a little worried herself.

Morgana seemed to realize what she was doing and placed her hands primly in her lap. "No, of course not," she unconvincingly responded.

The fight began before Roslyn or Gwen could tease their mistress. The large knight seemed to have strength on his side, but his size made him slow. Arthur whipped around, quickly defeating his opponent.

As before, the crowd erupted into cheers, beyond excited for their prince, who was now moving on to the final. Valiant and his opponent entered next. As they fought, Roslyn kept an eye on his shield. She was so focused that she failed to notice when the fight ended.

"Valiant's won!" Morgana cheered, keeping true to her word that she wished Valiant would win the tournament and not Arthur.

 _Arthur. He has to fight Valiant tomorrow. Valiant's going to kill him!_

* * *

That night, Morgana granted Roslyn's request for the night off as she claimed she had to help Gaius with an antidote for Ewan. She reached his chambers at the same Merlin did, something concealed in his hands. The two entered and Merlin handed a snake's head to Gaius.

"Don't ask me how. Now we have proof and you can save Ewan." Merlin was breathless. He must have run all the way back.

Gaius drained some venom from the snake into a bottle, promising, "I'll get started preparing the antidote."

"I'm going to tell Arthur." Merlin grabbed the snake head and ran out of the chambers.

Gaius spent a few moments mixing the venom with other ingredients before he administered it to Ewan. Roslyn sat by Ewan's side and wiped his sweaty forehead with a wet rag.

Minutes passed before Ewan stirred awake. He groaned in pain as he opened his eyes.

"Welcome back," Gaius smiled, happy that his patient was on the road to recovery.

Ewan's eyes widened and he tried to sit up. Hurriedly, he said, "There was a snake on his shield. It came alive."

Roslyn gently pushed him back down. "You're still weak," she told him, "There's still snake venom in your body."

"I must warn Arthur." Ewan struggled to sit back up, determined to protect the prince.

"Arthur already knows," Gaius informed him, constructing another concoction. "He's requested an audience with the King and they'll want to speak with you. Rest. You'll need your strength." His words seemed to calm Ewan's emotions. He laid back and seemed to relax. Gaius's next words were directed towards Roslyn. "Could you retrieve some more water, dear? I need to fetch more herbs."

She stood up, concerned. "Should we leave alone, Uncle? What if his condition worsens?"

Gaius gave her a reassuring smile. "We'll only be a moment."

Hesitantly, Roslyn grabbed a bucket and made her way to the water pump. _Something doesn't feel right_ , she thought as she filled the bucket with water. She picked it up and hurried as fast as she could back to Gaius's chambers, worry filling her for some unknown reason.

When she entered, she spotted her uncle mixing together some herbs. Wordlessly, she handed him the water and approached Ewan, who seemed to be sleeping.

"I'm afraid this potion tastes like toad water – "

Roslyn interrupted her uncle, gasping, "I think he's dead!"

Gaius rushed forwards, checking the knight's pulse. With a miserable look on his face, he confirmed it. "Ewan is dead."

 _This was Valiant. It had to have been._

* * *

Gaius and Roslyn rushed to the Council Chambers, hoping beyond hope that Arthur hadn't dug himself into a deep hole. As they entered, they realized that they were too late. Uther was inspecting the shield in question and Arthur had drawn his sword, intent on protecting his father.

"Merlin," Gaius whispered, trying to gain his nephew's attention.

Arthur muttered something to Merlin, causing him to turn and fast-walk towards them.

"Where's Ewan?" he asked. "Uther's not going to believe us without him."

Roslyn sighed and placed a hand on his arm. "Mer, Ewan's dead."

"What? How?"

"It seems he was bitten by another snake," Gaius revealed, knowing that there would be severe consequences for all involved now that their witness was dead.

Arthur turned towards the trio and asked, "Where's Ewan?" There was an underlying layer of worry on his face. Without proof, he would be seen as a coward.

Merlin steeled himself before he disclosed, "Ewan's dead."

Roslyn silently watched as everything went to hell in a handbasket. Merlin was nearly arrested – again – and Valiant came out looking like the perfect knight. As the court dispersed, she noticed an angry expression on Arthur's face and knew that Merlin was in trouble.

* * *

Roslyn had just unbraided her hair when the door to their room slammed open and Merlin lifted a wheelbarrow into the room. She jumped and was about to reprimand her brother when she noticed the stone dog sitting in the wheelbarrow.

"What – "

Merlin interrupted his sister's incredulous question with a rushed explanation. "If I can find a spell that will turn this statue into a real dog, then I can let everyone see the snakes for themselves tomorrow!"

"Don't you have chores from Arthur you should do first?" Roslyn sat down on her bed, looking at the statue warily.

"Oh. Arthur sacked me," Merlin absentmindedly said, flipping through his magic book. Before she could respond, Merlin began chanting. He chanted for close to an hour before he seemed to give up. "I'm going to go see if I can convince Arthur to back out of the fight tomorrow," he tiredly mumbled.

"Oh, no. You are going to get some sleep. If you want to get this spell to work, you need to be well rested," she ordered, guiding her brother to his bed.

"I have to try," he slurred.

"I'll talk to him. You sleep." She smiled as she placed the blanket around her brother.

She had a prince who needed some sense talked into him.

* * *

Roslyn noticed the door to Arthur's chambers was ajar, so she didn't bother knocking as she walked in.

Assuming she was Merlin, Arthur sighed, "I thought I told you to get out of my sight."

"No, you told my brother that." Roslyn almost laughed as he jumped and turned around, but she kept a straight face.

"Roslyn! What are you doing here?" he asked, surprised to see her.

"Don't fight tomorrow. My brother was telling the truth. Valiant will kill you!" she pleaded. She knew Merlin considered Arthur a friend, and she would hate for him to lose him.

"I know," Arthur sighed, turning towards the window.

"If you knew, why would you sack him?" Roslyn approached, livid. How dare he? He knew Merlin wasn't lying to him and he sacked him anyway?

"Because he embarrassed me in front of the entire court, in front of my father!" Arthur seemed to care more about being embarrassed in front of his father than anything else.

"I understand that you can't withdraw without looking like a coward in front of your people, but if you fight, you will die," she warned. Arthur was undoubtedly a better fighter than Valiant, meaning that Valiant would have no choice but to use the shield if he wished to win.

"Then I'll die," Arthur solemnly responded.

Roslyn shook her head. She knew a lost case when she saw when. "Good luck tomorrow. Please don't die," she whispered as she left.

 _Merlin has to get the spell right._

* * *

When Roslyn awoke the next day, she quietly dressed and tiptoed out their room, careful to not wake Merlin. She hurriedly ate her breakfast, bid her uncle goodbye, and walked to Morgana's chambers.

Gwen had arrived early with Morgana's breakfast and the two were prepared to leave for the tournament. Roslyn quickly apologized for her lateness.

"It's alright, Roslyn. Where's your cloak? It's freezing outside," Morgana remarked, noticing her short sleeves.

Roslyn blushed slightly. "I don't have a cloak. They weren't abundant in Ealdor," she revealed.

Morgana nodded and went to her wardrobe. She pulled out an emerald green cloak and handed it to her.

"Oh, my Lady, I couldn't," Roslyn protested, refusing the cloak.

"I insist. I can't have my maid freezing to death! Besides, the cloak has become too short for me, but it's perfect for you." Morgana wrapped it around Roslyn's neck and tied it. "See?"

"Thank you, Morgana," she smiled.

"It brings out your eyes," Gwen commented, coming to stand next to her.

Roslyn thanked her and decided to change the conversation. "Shouldn't we be heading to the tournament?"

"You two go ahead. I have something I have to do first." Morgana waved them ahead, promising to meet them at the arena.

* * *

When Morgana sat down in between them, she had a concerned look on her face. When asked whether something was wrong, she waved the question away, stating that she was fine. Arthur and Valiant entered the arena before Roslyn and Gwen could pry.

The two knights nodded to each other before the fight began. It was obvious that Arthur was the stronger fighter. He managed to knock Valiant's helmet off. Being the noble person he was, Arthur took off his helmet as well, causing the crowd to cheer louder. Valiant knocked Arthur to the ground, stepping on his shield. This forced Arthur to let go. Valiant used this to his advantage and disarmed Arthur. Before Valiant could strike him, however, Arthur caught him. Valiant pinned Arthur against a wall, probably about to use his shield, but Arthur managed to push him away.

Merlin must have arrived because the snakes from Valiant's shield came to life, causing the crowd to stand up in shock.

Valiant was in shock as well. He shouted, "What are you doing? I didn't summon you!"

Uther took that as a confession as he realized, "He is using magic."

 _Took you long enough._

The snakes slithered out of the shield onto the ground as Valiant commanded, "Kill him!"

Arthur backed up, approaching the stands where Morgana, Gwen, and Roslyn sat. Morgana pointed at the sword of the knight standing next to Roslyn and then pointed towards Arthur. Understanding, Roslyn grabbed his sword and threw it towards Arthur with a shout of his name.

Arthur turned, catching the sword and swinging it towards Valiant and the snakes. He managed to behead the two snakes in one swipe before focusing on their master. He disarmed Valiant and ran him through, killing him. As Valiant hit the ground, the crowd cheered, relieved that their prince had survived another attack on his life.

Roslyn turned towards the entrance and smiled as she saw her brother celebrating.

 _Merlin seems to be embracing his destiny._

* * *

Gwen and Roslyn stood together at the feast that night, watching as Arthur escorted Morgana. Quickly, the two seemed to get into an argument before Morgana stormed off towards them.

"Can you believe Arthur?" she complained. "He refuses to believe that Roslyn saved him."

"It's Arthur. What more do you expect?" Roslyn asked. The three burst into giggles at that. For now, all was well.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks to everyone who has followed, favorited, reviewed, and read this story! A special thanks to those who have given constructive criticism! Next up, Mark of Nimueh!**


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